Good luck, gifted wrappers!

See tip 2. Why is this picture so blurry?

I can't believe it's already been a year since the 2012 Scotch Most Gifted Wrapper contest! There's no better way to enjoy a weekend than meeting other skilled prezzie artists and enjoying holidaytime in NYC.

Not sure who's competing this year, but I'll be following the 2013 contest, which takes place Friday, Dec. 6. Best of luck to this year's contestants. Here are my top 5 tips for the big day:

1. Get good sleep the night before. It might be tough if you get jitters, but contest day starts early, the rest is worth it.
2. Smile, and don't take yourself too seriously. That's good advice for anytime, right?
3. Relax. The atmosphere can be overwhelming and mess with your focus. It will be loud and frenetic. Be prepared to deal with it.
4. Enjoy the company. This is a chance to meet other people who share your intense interest in giftwrapping; they're really interesting and fun folks!
5. Have fun. Seriously. By all means, do your best and try to win. But remember that if you don't, it's still an awesome experience.

Game on, wrappers!

Dr. Who TARDIS giftwrap, pt. II

I enjoyed my last Dr. Who themed giftwrap so much that I made another one. A big one! A lovely couple asked me to create a TARDIS for their daughter, a huge Dr. Who fan. This giftbox measures about 14" square by 30" tall, plenty of space for the many fun gifts they bought her. It was so much fun to make:

The lantern was a lucky find: a little plastic jar from my shop.

If you decide to make your own, get extra glue sticks and dots. And measure EVERYTHING. Twice.

I especially loved the cool old-timey (or timey-wimey) ornamental feet and corner caps. Thanks Tim Holtz!

One last pic to show scale! This was a complicated project with a ton of steps, but I loved every part of it. It's really fun; try making one yourself! Allons-y!

Princess macarons and giftwrapping: cutest project ever.

Purple: cassis. Pink: coffee. Why a pink coffee-flavored cookie? Because pink is pretty, that's why!

I am completely obsessed. Today I baked my fourth and fifth batches of macarons in 3 days, and I can't stop making them. Or eating them. If you've tried these gorgeous little indulgences, you know exactly what I mean. It all started three Christmases ago, when I ordered several dozen from L'Epicerie as a gift for my husband. They were fabulous; a crisp outer shell gave way to a chewy, soft center, and between each cookie, an intensely flavored filling. I chose the classic flavors: coffee, vanilla, lemon, raspberry, and pistachio.

Then last weekend, I stumbled upon a food tumblr that had a pretty photo of colorful macarons. That led to a google images search, which yielded a shockingly beautiful collection of macaron pictures. I never considered trying to make my own, but that was before I searched YouTube for how-tos. Here's the best one I found, courtesy of FoodNouveau.

Naturally, once I made a ton of cookies, I started thinking about how I'd package them. For my friend April, I made a simple Parisian-themed wrapping. Call me old-fashioned, but I like matching the wrapping elements to the cookies.

These are straight-up princess cookies.

Then I remembered my bows-to-go boxes and realized they'd make a cute container for the macarons, too!

I encourage you to try making your own macarons. They might seem intimidating, and the process is a bit technical, but once you get the hang of it, it's a piece of cake. Well, you know what I mean. Valentine's Day is about a month away, so you've got time to practice. Give your sweetheart something beautiful, tasty, and handmade!

Good luck - give pretty!

Lovely and sweet: a shower of gifts for baby and mom

Happy 2013, friends! The new year is off to a great start, especially for my friend April, who's expecting a baby girl in a just few weeks. Since I missed her baby shower (stupid flu!) she and I had a make-up date recently. I gave the customary onesies and hats for baby (above, materials: yuzen paper from Kate's Paperie, plain gold paper, broad purple ribbon, sheer gold ribbon, and a little pearl charm), but wanted to give April a little something, too.

So I made her a mix of nice tunes to enjoy on her own, or as she's rocking her baby to sleep. I didn't have a lot of time to wrap it, so I just dressed it up with a cute bow.

Lastly, a yummy treat. I've become obsessed with macaron cookies lately, so made a little batch for April. Macarons are exquisite sandwich cookies made of egg whites, sugar, and almond flour with a flavorful filling. They are also the most beautiful google image search subject ever. It was fun to package them in a simple box with Tim Holtz tissue tape, a narrow ribbon, and a cute Eiffel Tower charm. (Because macarons are SO Parisian!) Sweet occasions call for sweet prezzies, right?

Stand by for another post on macarons, a cute and colorful one! Until then, take care and give pretty.

New obsession: bows-to-go!

This weekend I was a busy bee preparing for the Home for the Holidays event at DestinyUSA on Nov. 16. In addition to giftwrapping tutorials, I'll be selling these little pre-made giftboxes, which I dubbed "bows-to-go." Like many of my projects, the ideas and execution got better the more I practiced, and I'm really happy with the result.

They remind me of little petit fours. I spent most of the weekend making as many unique combinations as possible. The best part is they're made with a top and a bottom, so they're reusable, and you don't have to tear or untie anything. The only thing better than a pretty prezzie is a eco-pretty one!

Also very happy with how my new moocards came out! They're so cute and affordable! Thanks, Moo. I'll be ordering more soon! Let me know if you're interested, because I can refer you and we both get a discount!

I'll display them on this nifty dessert tray I bought for my custom mongram boxes, because I'll be taking orders for those at the event, too. I hope I'll see you there! Friday, Nov. 16, 2-7 p.m. Until then, cheers and give pretty!

Fun commercial jobs

Sounds unlikely, right? But be open to surprises; the unexpected can make work so much more interesting! These are two projects I did back when I worked for Syracuse University. A huge improvement on the typical (poorly) coated paper and curly ribbon.

Above and below: gifts for conference speakers. Paper from The Art Store in Syracuse, ribbon courtesy of the Newhouse School.

Below: gifts for guests at a sponsored conference dinner. The original request was for a brochure [dull], but I suggested giving a little gift (Florentine biscotti) and wrapping it in the brochure text. Paper and ribbon from Michaels Crafts, University seals from the SU Bookstore.

I'd love to do more commercial jobs in the future, so if you've got clients or employees to thank, I'm your girl!

Coming soon

So, I've done chic, funky, romantic, and very personalized gift wraps, but no impossibly cute ones. Until now. This is a gift for a colleague who is expecting a baby in a few weeks. The challenge? I don't know if it's a boy or a girl. I knew I'd use this paper someday!

I love a prezzie tower. They have so much more dimension, and if I had some coordinating solid paper, I would have done a cool alternating pattern. Alas, I had none, so I used ribbon for the effect. I love the cutesy double "bowtie" under the daisy. It reminds me of this one I made for another office buddy last year. The flower is a little different for me; I don't usually embellish so boldly, but it looked so cheerful and sweet, I couldn't resist.

And of course, I like a bit 'o bling. I love what it does to the surface of the paper, and I just love a prezzie that catches light.

The only thing I'm a bit unhappy with was the wrinkles. The bottom package was kind of mushy, so it was hard to wrap with nice corners. And the paper, though cute was a bit thin, so I overworked it a bit, which emphasizes the wrinkles. Oh well. It's cute anyway. And as we all know, wrinkles are inevitable. 

Happy holidays!

I know, it's early. But a recent trip to London has inspired me to get in the Christmas time mood. In particular, a visit to Fortnum & Mason got me really excited. F&M is easily the most gorgeous and elegant retail experience I've ever had. And a bit surreal, to be honest. You come up the centuries-old staircase to an inviting, but not overwhelming combination of cinnamon and pine fragrance. There's just enough room to walk around, and every square inch of merchandise space is used to the max. It was just captivating: sparkling ornaments arranged perfectly in glass pedestal bowls, artfully decorated trees, rolls of glittering gift wrapping paper. I wanted to buy one of everything; this is visual merchandising done right.

I was especially tempted to buy one of these (fuschia) beauties, but sadly, it was more than I could pay for something that might not make the trip home in my suitcase. The whole display was a feast for the eyes, and well, F&M does sell online, so there's still time if I change my mind.

And of course, I had to visit the gift wrapping department. I love the glamorous chandelier over the counter. Maybe I need one for my shop...

I could have stayed there all day. The papers in the shop weren't too different than what I find here in the states, but it was (naturally) the presentation that struck me! You could tell that the wooden display tables had been lovingly maintained, the employees were incredibly knowledgeable, and even the brass plates on the door hinges were polished regularly. All of this points to an immense pride in the work, which really appealed to me. Though I'm very happy with my dayjob, I had a little fantasy of donning the tidy F&M waistcoat and bowtie, and standing behind the gift wrap counter, wrapping exquisite treasures in gorgeous, fine paper and silk ribbon. Who wouldn't?!

That said, I'm brainstorming a Fortnum & Mason-inspired prezzie series. Stay tuned.

PS: In case you were wondering, the signature robin's egg blue of Fortnum & Mason came 130 years before Tiffany & Co.

Non-giftwrapping post: Beauty and fragility

courtesy DominicsPics

I can't believe it's already been a month since the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. This past Sunday, I read this article about a month-new mayor in the coastal town of Rikuzentakata, and the terrible choices he had to make on the day of the disaster. It left me in tears. I was struck by the incredible strength and dignity of the survivors in the face of all of this suffering and uncertainty.

As I sat there in my quiet, sunny kitchen, with a warm cup of coffee and my snoozing cat, it reminded me of how grateful I was to be safe and comfortable, and how easily normal life can be turned upside down in a few moments. The next day at work, I read about Project Paper Crane, which is creating a public art installation of origami cranes to raise awareness and money to help the relief effort in Japan. I've made my modest donation, and will attend one of the crane-folding sessions next week. I hope you'll support this cause, too.

Reading about Project Paper Crane brought to mind a bittersweet memory from a few years ago, when I was dealing with health issues and some other overwhelming life stresses. One frigid December morning, I cut through one of the academic buildings on campus on my way to the office. I climbed the stairwell to the second floor exit, and on the way, I saw something unexpected and beautiful:

Eight tiny cranes, on the window frame in the stairwell. They were lined up perfectly, and each could fit on a quarter. I don't know quite why, but for some reason I felt like someone left them there to cheer me up. So I took pictures. And smiled for the rest of the day when I thought of them.

That night, I went home and made eight tiny silver butterflies, and the next morning, carefully placed them in the neighboring window pane. It was especially tricky, since much of the joy was the secret-ness of them. I paced back and forth on the landing, waiting for students to leave, and then leaned over the railing to place the butterflies on the shelf. In retrospect, I probably looked totally crazy. (My only regret: I lost the photos I took of my butterflies!)

Mission accomplished, I practically skipped to the office, feeling happy about my new origami mystery friend. On my way home, I stopped by again, to admire our little display of cranes and butterflies.

I was not prepared for what I found the next morning:

88 cranes. Perfectly uniform, perfectly spaced, lining 10 window panes.

Exhilarated, I snapped photos, and bought more origami paper on the way home. I made 88 butterflies over the weekend, and started planting them about 10 at a time, because that's all I had time for. I figured my origami friend must have been a student working late hours of the night, when nobody was around.

On the third day of "butterfly delivery," I climbed the stairs and stopped in my tracks. Someone had destroyed the display, knocking the cranes everywhere, and crushing some on the ground. I remember just staring at the mess, trying to deal with how angry and sad I felt. Why and how could someone destroy something so exquisitely beautiful that clearly took so long to build? I was surprised by the sense of loss I felt over these scattered little bits of paper.

So I did the only thing I could do. I bent down and picked up as many as I could, fixed the broken ones, and carefully put them back. Only about a quarter of them made it, but I still felt good about it. I added a handful of the new ones in my purse.

The same thing happened the next day. This time I just walked past it and went straight to my office. I closed the door and cried. It sounds totally silly, but in a way it makes sense. I was going through a dark time in my life, and this little exchange was a spontaneous bright spot. I guess I should have known that it wouldn't last forever. Eventually, I came to feel happy about it, despite the disappointing end. I chose to accept the happiness it brought me, however fleeting.

I still checked the stairwell periodically, hoping my friend would re-appear. But I didn't see a sign of them for months. Then one day in April, a bunny and some chicks showed up on the shelf. And I just burst into laughter. Even now when I think about it, it makes me smile because it reminds me that no matter how terrible things get, there's always hope, and there's always tomorrow.

Make something beautiful in 2011

Now that you've opened all of your beautifully wrapped prezzies and enjoyed a peaceful and relaxing Christmas day, let's talk projects for the new year. I'm not really into making hard and fast New Year's resolutions. I prefer choosing a theme around which I'll try to live. There's a lot less pressure that way, and resolutions are so limiting. That said, consider doing something special this year, maybe you can have a year of...

- Re-connection: Send 12 letters this year. That's just one letter a month! Write to someone you care about, or send a letter to a different person each time. I'm talking hand-written letters. With an envelope and a stamp, not e-mail. Who wouldn't love to get a little note in their mailbox along with the bills and junk mail? I get so few letters or cards in the mail these days, it's really a treat when I do. And don't even get me started on penmanship; that subject will fill its own entry and then some.

- Sharing: pack a lunch for a few of your work friends and invite them over to your office/cubicle/desk for lunch. Like a picnic. In the height of winter, wouldn't an indoor picnic be lovely? Maybe a nice, comforting soup and a crusty bread for 2 or 3 or 4 and some lovely healthy fruit? Better yet, plan a potluck lunch. It's less expensive than eating out, and more fun than web-browsing and leftovers.

- Spontaneous beautiful gifts: This origami wreath took about a month to make, but it came out beautifully. I gave it to my mom, as a way to give her flowers that would last forever (or close). I bought a styrofoam wreath and got to work folding paper. I used a gluegun to stick the flowers to it (about 200). Send a little gift out of the blue and brighten someone's day.

Whatever you choose to do, make it special and inspired. The result will be beautiful! And send me pictures, I'd love to see: carol@joliecolis.com.

Happy 2011!

Holiday giftwrapping tip 8: rob your Christmas tree

It's almost go-time, and if you're like me, you're probably frantically getting those last few gifts on your list. That means you've got less time to lovingly wrap them. Here's a clever way to dress up a gift that's quick and green, in a way. Your recipient will take home your gift and hang the little ornaments on their own tree.


Cute, right? This prezzie has mini-ornaments and a jingle bell, secured with a simple, slim ribbon. The pleated paper band is optional, of course. And if you don't know how to do the pleat, a regular band of paper, or a wide grosgrain ribbon will do.

For larger gifts, use larger ornaments. Just make sure you take them from the back. :)

Happy holidays!

Steampunk gift machine!

Sorry it's been a while, I haven't been feeling well, and this latest project took quite a bit of planning. My husband is a real fan of steampunk, so for one of his Christmas gifts, I've built him a funky gift machine, complete with little gears and moving pieces.

No how-to on this one, it's really just experimentation. I just got a bunch of materials together and winged it. If you're interested in doing one yourself, here are the colors, textures, and materials to use:

- metal gears and (if you're really ambitious) watch movement parts
- woodgrain paper (I used cherry wood Con-Tact paper)
- metallic cardstock
- little brass stick-on buttons
- jeweler's wire (for the tiny coil)
- faux leather (I didn't use it, but it would look awesome)

Once again, for complex gift wraps like this, I prefer a box with a top and bottom, so you don't have to tear any paper. And you can use it for other things post-gifting.

I'll be back tomorrow with a holiday how-to. Stay tuned...

Holiday giftwrapping how-to: monogram gift boxes

The long-awaited how-to video is here! This is my first time shooting and editing video, so bear with me; I'll get better at it. The captions look pretty small in window, so click here to see it on YouTube.

My 5 favorite papers: stylish bargains and splurges

I know I should be focused on buying holiday gifts, but I can't stay away from the many beautiful papers you can buy online this time of year. Some of you might be surprise to hear that a $6.50/sheet paper is a bargain. Compared to something that's $18/sheet, it is!

Anyway, here they are, in no particular order:

Bargain #1: White squares on silver, Papersource $4.95/sheet

I actually used this cool paper on a corporate job I had last year, and it held up great. The silver is really bright, and it has this nice weight and linen texture. I just wish I knew I could get it through Papersource. I bought it locally and paid almost twice that. Ugh.

Bargain #2: Paisley batik, Elum $3.75/sheet

Elum makes gorgeous letterpress stationery and chic giftwrap. A subtle pattern like this is beautiful with a wide ribbon in a deep chocolate brown or gold.





Bargain #3: #1741 Winterberry, Snow & Graham, $6.50/sheet

Like Elum, Snow & Graham makes incredibly cute letterpress and paper products. I love this one because it's wintry and evocative of the holidays, but it's not so literal (see Holiday Giftwrapping tip #4). It's pretty on its own, but would look sweet with a wide red ribbon.


Bargain #4: Joyeux noel, Cavallini, Luxe Paperie, $3.50/sheet

I'm a huge fan of Cavallini's charming, vintage-inspired paper products. In fact, I have several sheets of Cavallini paper waiting for frames to grace my home. It's hard to believe how this paper can be so affordable. You get gorgeous prints on really nice, heavy, textured paper. Almost too beautiful to cut!

Bargain #5: Thai marble paper, gold/black, Kate's Paperie, $5.50/sheet

Of course, I have to give Kate's Paperie a shoutout, since that's where I first discovered my love for paper and wrapping gifts. This is another incredible buy. I love the contrast and drama of this paper. This stuff is interesting because it's very thin, very sturdy, and feels like fabric.




Splurge #1: Handmade open geo, black, Kate's Paperie, $24.50/sheet 

So, so cool. I'd layer this on a contrasting color, or over a subtle pattern. It's so artful, I'd consider framing this, too. It reminds me of Jackson Pollock.








Splurge #2: Orange stitch on pink paper, Papersource, $9/sheet

Hooray for an affordable splurge! This paper comes from India, and is sewn with contrasting thread. The thread and little holes in the paper add graphic and textural interest, too.



Splurge #3: Personalized gift wrap, Neiman Marcus, $90 
This is a super-cute, super-splurge, and I'm not even sure how much you get for the $90. Maybe if you have to ask, you can't afford it. Various colors and patterns are available, and you can personalize it with your initials or a limited amount of text.





Splurge #4: Pine cones, Heidi, $21.99/set
Heidi sells stylish gift wrap sets in pre-coordinating colors and patterns. Very convenient. You get enough to wrap about 2 shirtboxes, complete with paper, ribbon, gift cards, and note cards. It's like the Garanimals of giftwrapping!





Splurge #5: Richard de Bas floral paper, Paper Arts, $18/sheet
I love this paper because it reminds me of pressing a flower in the pages of a book. And because I'm a total romantic. 




Well, that's all for now, friends. Tune in tomorrow; I'm finally going to post my video on how to make the monogrammed prezzie from last week.